Mathematical Modelling of Pulmonary Edema

The excess accumulation of water in lung interstitial or alveolar is called pulmonary edema which is caused by factors that upset the normal Starling balance in micro-circulation. Pulmonary edema disturbs the alveolar gas exchanges which are normally regulated by the respiratory system. Mathematical modelling of pulmonary edema may help to predict the lung conditions and the mechanisms involved in the formation of edema. With the help of lung anatomy and physiology, the properties of alveolar sheet were determined and the Starling forces were considered during pulmonary filtration. A nonlinear partial differential equation was solved for the blood pressure in alveolar sheet. The mathematical simulation of lymphatic pumps was obtained and the process of fluid accumulation under normal and abnormal conditions was investigated. The results indicate that the rate of edema formation is strongly related to lung blood pressured, serum protein concentration, and reflection coefficient physiological data also confirm the results from this study.